Electrical push-button device



April 11, 1950 w. HAUERSLEV 2,503,669

ELECTRICAL PUSH BUTTON DEVICE Filed NOV. 4, 1947 /IIlIIllIlI/tllllllllz,

Patented Apr. 11, 1950 ApplicationNovember 4, 1947, Serial-'Ntl.*783,895

In Denmark NoVcmber 14, 1946 The i-present;zinventionfrelatesrtozan: improves ment zin'lelectrical push::;button;.. devices or the kii'ldiconiprising: a numberro-f :slidably -mounted setting. members;arrangedrrto alternately seta: corresponding:numb'eryofxelectrical-aswitches and to be alternatelyifoperateds:each bye-means of a separate push button.

In';push;;button:.switches".of the kind referred to the setting members are ordinarily engaged each by an individual spring; which when the setting member. is. releasedafter. having been operated to .close the switch controlled by same,

causes a returnmovement of .the setting member to an initial position: This'movement is abrupt- 1y stopped by a fixed stopzandi'ithe heavy'strokeof- 'the.=setting..member-against :this' stop produces anundsired noise vandis iinclinedfto cause nae-- chanical.vibrationotpartssoftheavirelessreceiver in" combinati'cnri.with.v which; the; push button isusedi Aflso theseyibrationsi'may haveezanrine juriouseif'ect .on..theereceiver.=

The purpose of.the.- present invention is to avoid the said abrupt stopping of the setting member and to this end'the'said Spring,1Which' may be-"arhelicalv spring-or:-a;:-;U;-;shaped spring; is accordi'ngto-the invention insertedin a tensioned condition between two fixed abutments which are so located relatively to two further abutments, which are disposed on the setting member or on a separate member connecting the setting member to its push button, that the two ends of the said spring engage opposite ends of a slit in the setting member or the said separate member, so that one end of the spring will be displaced together with the setting member, when operated to close the switch controlled thereby. Thus a compression of the said spring results sothat the spring when the setting member is released from the position, in which it closes the said switch, will move the setting member back until the said end of the spring is caught by one of the fixed abutments, whereafter the setting member by its own inertia will continue its own return movement and during this movement carry along the other end of the spring, thus causing the spring to be again tensioned and to retard the backward movement of the setting member and to stop the latter without any shock effect.

On the drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a mechanism according to the invention, for carrying the setting member of a push button switch back to its non-operated position, and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of a modifiedzembodiment'of airestoring mechanism;; in which the spring. causing thereturn"movement: of cithezsetting': member; is a. V-shaped resilient leaf; springs;

= ImEigi 1, l= isa slidable settingnmember of. a;

push button: devices-f or instance for alternately com1ec-ting;different tuning coils :of awirelessre I.

ceiverrin the' tuning :circuitssthereoi: Each'sete ting-g member; comprises; a verticallyr disposed: metal zplatenwhich is :adapted: tobexconnected' to;

awmovablemparti I 6 5 of van: electrical switch; hav in-gernovablezicontacts 20?; Thisraswitch'. may be: of any; suitable: construction: and. :is arranged to: b'ee'closedz by displacement 10f the-setting "memb er.

- inzdirection' indicated-by: therarrow-shownjinF-igz 1;; from :the rpositionzshown: in-pfull; lines in Eig."v 1..'toav. position in: which; a; projection 3 rof one: edgeuoiithe setting member: assumes the position shown in dotted lines 3. in-vFig; 1,z in which posi tionwthewsetting; member:is lOCkBdr'JbY 'a' locking:

member-#2; the construction and control ofjwhich formrno partiof the; present-invention; The:

locking member: .2 is; released from; engagement;

behind :the :projection 3 onnthe-r setting :member 1 by manually rotating the locking memberr'about:

32 pin- 24.

Thessettingmember-- l i ismoved backtfrom the;

locked position by means of a helical-springi;v

which is inserted in an opening 6 in the setting member so that the ends of the spring abut against opposite edges 1 and 8 in said opening 6. Opposite to each of these said edges two fixed abutments 9 and ID are disposed, which abutments may be formed as two rails each having a U-shaped cross section and being provided with a slit in which the setting member is guided. When the setting member assumes the position shown in full lines each end of the helical spring engages or almost engages one of these fixed abutments 9 and Ill respectively.

When the setting member I is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 the spring is compressed and shortly before this movement is terminated the setting member is automatically locked by the locking member 2. If this locking member is released the setting member is moved back by the action of the spring 5, and when the right-hand end of the spring, see Fig. 1, during this backward movement engages the stationary abutment H], the accelerating efiect of the spring 5 upon the setting member ceases, and at the same time the edge 1 of the opening 6 engages the opposite end of the spring whereafter the latter during the continued backward movement of the setting member I is compressed under the influence of the inertia of the said member. This compression of the spring causes the latter to damp the continued backward movement of the setting member and to stop it without any material shock efiect.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 2 difiers from that of Fig. 1 in that the spring is substantially a V-shaped rod or leaf spring which at its central portion is mounted on a fixed support I I, e. g. by means of a few spring windings surrounding a pin M on the support i I, whereas the ends of the said spring extend through a longitudinally disposed slit l2 in a stationary rail 13, which is disposed transversely of the moving direction of the setting member, and through the opening 6 in the setting member I and through a slit l5 in the movable switch part [5.

The openings or slits 6 and I2 are so arranged that the ends of the spring abut or approximately abut opposite edges in both of said openings or slits when the setting member is in its non-operative position as shown in Fig. 2.

If the setting member is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 in order to displace the switch part E6 the locking member 2 will move down behind a projection 3 on the setting member l and thereafter retain the same in the position to which it is moved. At the same time the right-hand end of the spring in Fig. 2 is bent in the moving direction whereas the left hand end of the spring in Fig. 2 remains in the position shown in Fig. 2, that is in contact against one of the edges in the slit I2 of the rail l3. If the locking member 2 is released from the projection 3 the spring 5 will carry the setting member 1 back to the position shown in Fig. 2 since from its contracted condition the spring will expand to the position shown in Fig. 2. During the subsequent continued backward movement of the setting member due to its inertia the rear edge ll of the opening 6 will engage the left hand end of the spring in Fig. 2 and carry this end forward, so that the spring damps the backward movement of the setting member and stops it without a shock efiect.

By properly adjusting the tension of the spring it is possible to operate the mechanism practically noiselessly.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare. that what I claim is:

1. In an electrical switching device the combination of a switch actuating member mounted for sliding movement between an operated and a non-operated position and having a window provided therein, releasable means for locking said switch actuating member in said operated position, two fixed abutments in positions substantially flush with the ends of said window in the non-operated position of said switch actuating member, and biased compressional spring means mounted in a position to engage both between said two fixed abutments and between the ends of said window.

2. An electrical switch device comprising a switch actuating member slidably mounted and having an opening therein, releasable means for locking the switch actuating member in one position, a pair of fixed abutments provided flush with the ends of the opening in another position of the switch actuating member, and biasing means mounted to engage between the fixed abutments and between the ends of the opening.

WALTHER HAUERSLEV.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

